Light source system and its operating method

Abstract

The light source system preferably includes one or more electronic input units, splitters, recombiners and / or electronic output units, and optionally includes one or more accelerator modules, input transport units, radiation modules and / or output transport units. The system may optionally include one or more auxiliary elements (e.g., electro-optical elements). The operating method preferably includes operation in normal mode and / or operation in backup mode.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of light source technology, and more specifically to a new and useful light source system and a method of operating the same.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 531,967, filed on August 10, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0003] [Figure 1] FIGS. 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams of first, second and third aspects of a light source system, respectively. [Figure 2] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of a first aspect of a first embodiment of a portion of a light source system and a specific example thereof. FIGS. 2C and 2D are schematic diagrams of a second aspect of the first embodiment of a portion of a light source system and a specific example thereof. FIGS. 2E and 2F are schematic diagrams of a specific example of a splitter of a light source system projected onto first and second deflection planes, respectively. FIGS. 2G and 2H are schematic diagrams of a specific example of a recombiner of a light source system projected onto first and second deflection planes, respectively. [Figure 3] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of a second embodiment of a portion of a light source system and a specific example thereof. FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram showing an example of operating the second embodiment of a portion of a light source system in a backup mode. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a specific example of a second portion of a light source system. [Figure 5] FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic timing diagrams related to a first example operating in a normal mode and a backup mode, respectively. FIGS. 5C and 5D are schematic timing diagrams related to a second example operating in a normal mode and a backup mode, respectively. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic timing diagram related to the second example operating in a normal mode. [Figure 7] Fig. 7 is a flow chart of the operation method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to these preferred embodiments, but is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention.

[0005] 1. Summary The light source system 100 (as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1A to 1C, FIGS. 2A to 2D, and / or FIGS. 3A and 3B) preferably includes one or more electronic input units 110, a splitter 120, a recombiner 160 and / or an electronic output unit 170, and preferably includes one or more accelerator modules 101, an input transport unit 130, a radiation module 140 and / or an output transport unit 150. The system 100 can optionally include one or more auxiliary elements (e.g., electron optical elements), and / or additionally or alternatively, can include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement.

[0006] The operation method 400 (as shown, for example, in FIG. 7) preferably includes step S410 of operating in a normal mode and / or step S420 of operating in a backup mode. However, the method 400 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements performed in any suitable manner.

[0007] System 100 preferably defines a plurality of electron beam paths (e.g., paths each passing through a different emission module of the system). The path length difference between different electron beam paths (e.g., the path length difference between all paths through which an electron bunch emitted from a single accelerator module passes, which may include all paths, as in the example of operation in backup mode) is preferably equal to (or substantially equal to) an integer multiple of the electron travel distance defined by the accelerator frequency (e.g., the value obtained by dividing the electron velocity by the accelerator frequency). In one example, if the accelerator frequency f is 750 MHz and the electron velocity is approximately equal to the speed of light c, the corresponding electron travel distance is approximately equal to c / f = 40 cm, and therefore the path length difference is preferably equal to an integer multiple of 40 cm. In a second example, some or all of the paths are configured to have the same path length (or substantially the same path length, such as within a threshold difference smaller than the typical variation in electron bunch timing exhibited by the accelerator module). In some embodiments, one or more elements can be optionally placed along part or all of the electron beam path to adjust the path length (and / or electron energy), thereby providing the ability to adjust this path length difference (for example, in response to changes in operating conditions such as switching from normal mode to backup mode).

[0008] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the electron beam paths defined by the system can take any suitable configuration (e.g., coplanar beam paths, beam paths defined in different planes, beam paths not limited to a single plane, etc.). Beam transport along these paths preferably provides substantially equivalent focusing and / or deflection for all beams, thereby enabling the preservation of desirable features of phase-based operation (e.g., using the same lateral and / or longitudinal matching for all lines). Additionally or alternatively, some or all beam paths can be configured using any one or more of various different septum configurations, thereby enabling deflection of one or more beams in the plane of separation and / or perpendicular thereto (and / or along any other suitable direction) at various angles (e.g., from zero to full deflection), and / or including deflection in the same and / or opposite directions. Additionally or alternatively, transport can provide mitigation of any interference (and / or any other suitable mitigation) between electron transport and optical transport hardware. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the compression and / or extension of the bunch length can be positioned within the split beam region of the system (e.g., by the use of compressive transport) and / or outside the split beam region (e.g., by the use of isochronous partitioning transport).

[0009] The light source system 100 and / or operating method 400 preferably have the function of providing multiple optical outputs and / or the function of providing redundancy in the event of failure, shutdown and / or other abnormal conditions related to one or more elements of the system (e.g., one or more accelerator modules 101). The light is preferably output as multiple beams (e.g., spatially separated light beams) (preferably each beam is collimated or substantially collimated) so that, for example, different beams can be directed to an endpoint. The optical output is preferably polarized or substantially polarized (e.g., to facilitate use in semiconductor manufacturing photolithography equipment, e.g., steppers and / or scanners), but alternatively, it can be unpolarized, partially polarized, or any other suitable polarization state. In some embodiments, some or all of the light beams may have different polarization states relative to one another. The optical output is preferably coherent or substantially coherent, but alternatively, it may be non-coherent or have any other suitable coherence characteristics. However, the light output by system 100 may have additional or alternatively any other suitable properties. In some embodiments, the light source system may consist of a free electron laser (FEL) or a plurality of FELs (for example, each output FEL may be configured to output a separate light beam), for example, the light may preferably have spatial and / or temporal properties suitable and / or desirable for lithography applications, such as EUV lithography applications.

[0010] The light output preferably has high photon energy, such as EUV light (e.g., 13.5 nm, 6.7 nm, etc.), X-rays, and / or any other suitable high-energy light, but additionally or alternatively, it may have any other suitable photon energy. For example, the light output is X-rays (e.g., 5 nm, 1 nm, 0.1 nm, 0.01-0.1 nm, 0.1-0.2 nm, 0.2-0.5 nm, 0.5-1 nm, 1-2 nm, 2-5 nm, etc.), UV light, preferably EUV light (e.g., 13.5 nm, 6.7 nm, 5-8 nm, 8-15 nm, 15-30 nm, 30-121 nm, etc.), and additionally or alternatively, any other suitable UV light (e.g., 100-280 nm, 2 The light output is of any suitable high energy (e.g., 80–315 nm, 315–400 nm, etc.) and / or any other suitable high energy, and additionally or alternatively, may have any other suitable photon energy (e.g., visible light, e.g., light with wavelengths in the range of 400–750 nm; infrared light, e.g., light with wavelengths in the range of 0.75–15 μm and / or 15–1000 μm; millimeter-wave radiation, e.g., light with wavelengths in the range of 1–10 mm, etc.). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the wavelength of light may vary depending on the propagation medium, but the wavelengths referred to herein usually refer to the wavelength of photons in a vacuum ("free-space photon wavelength"). The light output is preferably substantially monochromatic (e.g., bandwidth less than 1, 0.5, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1 nm or less, less than 10%, 5%, 2%, 1% or less of the nominal or central wavelength, etc.), and alternatively, may have any other suitable bandwidth.

[0011] In some embodiments, the light source system 100 (and / or any elements thereof, e.g., one or more radiation modules 140, accelerator module 101, and / or crossover module 110, but not limited thereto) and / or method 400 (and / or any elements thereof, including but not limited to normal mode operation S410 and / or backup mode operation S420) is subject to U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 803,068, filed on 18 July 2015, entitled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MULTIPLE EUV BEAMS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING,” and registered on 10 January 2017, entitled “METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SPLITTING A HIGH-POWER LIGHT BEAM TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS SUB-BEAMS TO PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY It may include one or more elements (and / or any appropriate form thereof) as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,541,839 titled “SCANNERS”, U.S. Patent No. 9,392,679, registered on 12 July 2016, titled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR USING FREE-ELECTRON LASER COMPATIBLE EUV BEAM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER PROCESSING”, and / or U.S. Patent No. 9,844,124, registered on 12 December 2017, titled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR USING FREE-ELECTRON LASER COMPATIBLE EUV BEAM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER METROLOGY”. Each of these documents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0012] The light source system 100 is preferably configured to perform the operation method 400 described herein, but may have any other suitable additional or alternative functions. The operation method 400 is preferably performed using the light source system 100 described herein, but may be performed using any other suitable additional or alternative system.

[0013] 2. Light source system 2.1 Accelerator Module The light source system 100 preferably includes two or more accelerator modules 101 (for example, each accelerator module is associated with one or more corresponding radiation modules 140). Each accelerator module 101 preferably has the function of providing a high-energy (e.g., relativistic) electron beam 200 (e.g., supplying the electron beam to the electron input unit 110). The accelerator module 101 may additionally or alternatively have the function of receiving one or more electron beams (e.g., from the electron output unit) after the electron beam has been used for laser oscillation.

[0014] The electron beam 200 preferably comprises a plurality of electron bunches 210 (for example, the accelerator module is preferably a bunch-beam accelerator module, for example, an RF accelerator module that drives the bunches using one or more radio frequency (RF) magnetic fields). Each bunch preferably moves substantially along a beam path defined by the system 100 (for example, the system may define a plurality of such beam paths).

[0015] Each electron in an electron beam can have an electron energy (e.g., nominal electron energy), which is preferably on the order of several hundred MeV (e.g., 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 300-100, and / or 1000-1300 MeV). In the first specific example, an electron energy of 800 MeV is used to generate 13.5 nm light. In the second specific example, an electron energy of 1200 MeV is used to generate 6.7 nm light. However, electrons can have additional or alternatively any other suitable energy characteristics.

[0016] In some embodiments, the accelerator module 101 includes an electron beam injector and a linear accelerator system, and optionally includes an energy recovery system and / or an electron beam dump. In some such embodiments, the accelerator module 101 (including, but not limited to, any elements thereof, such as an electron beam injector, a linear accelerator system, an energy recovery system, and / or an electron beam dump) is used in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 803,068, filed July 18, 2015, entitled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MULTIPLE EUV BEAMS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING,” U.S. Patent No. 9,541,839, registered January 10, 2017, entitled “METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SPLITTING A HIGH-POWER LIGHT BEAM TO PROVIDE SIMULTANEOUS SUB-BEAMS TO PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY SCANNERS,” and registered July 12, 2016, entitled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR USING FREE-ELECTRON LASER COMPATIBLE EUV BEAM FOR It may include one or more elements (and / or any appropriate form thereof) as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,392,679, entitled “SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER PROCESSING”, and / or U.S. Patent No. 9,844,124, entitled “METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR USING FREE-ELECTRON LASER COMPATIBLE EUV BEAM FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER METROLOGY,” registered on 12 December 2017. Each of those documents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.For example, accelerator module 101 may include one or more elements as described in relation to the “superconducting accelerator” in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 803,068 (for example, accelerator module 101 may be substantially identical to the “superconducting accelerator” in U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 803,068).

[0017] However, the accelerator module 101 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0018] 2.2 Electronic Input Section The electronic input unit 110 preferably has the function of providing electrons (e.g., high-energy electron bunches) for use in the system (e.g., providing electrons to a splitter). The electronic input unit preferably receives electron bunches from the accelerator module 101 (or any suitable subset thereof). The electronic input unit can provide the electron bunches as a single electron beam (e.g., electron bunches from multiple accelerator modules are combined into a single beam by one or more kickers, e.g., the kicker of the electronic input unit), or it can provide the electron bunches as multiple electron beams (e.g., each defining a different trajectory), e.g., as separate beams from each accelerator module (alternatively, in some embodiments including, for example, three or more accelerator modules, some or all of those separate beams may include electron bunches from multiple accelerator modules), and / or in any other suitable manner.

[0019] The electronic input section preferably provides an electron bunch to the splitter 120 (e.g., its kicker 121). The electron bunch is preferably provided at the same location within the splitter (e.g., within its kicker). For example, if the electronic input section is provided as multiple non-collinear electron beams, those beams preferably intersect (or substantially intersect) at a single point within the splitter (or in its vicinity) (e.g., within the kicker, e.g., at the central point within the kicker where the kicker's magnetic field acts on the electron beam). However, the electronic input section may, additionally or alternatively, provide an electron bunch to the splitter in any other suitable way, and / or be configured in any other way, to provide an electron bunch to any other suitable part of the system.

[0020] In some examples, the electronic input section may include one or more auxiliary elements. For example, the auxiliary elements may include phase matching, phase space exchange, betatron matching, electron focusing optics (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupoles and hexapoles), compressors, path length adjustment modules (e.g., modules capable of statically and / or dynamically adjusting the path lengths of one or more beampaths to prevent and / or correct phase offsets between different beampaths of the system), and / or other arbitrary suitable elements (e.g., elements capable of changing the characteristics of electron bunches). Furthermore, the electronic input section 110 may additionally or alternatively include other arbitrary suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0021] 2.3 Splitter The splitter 120 preferably has the function of separating each of one or more electron beams (e.g., electron beams received from an electron input) into multiple beams (or alternatively, separating any suitable subset of those electron beams into multiple beams). The splitter 120 preferably includes one or more kickers 121 and / or septums 122, and optionally includes one or more deflectors 123.

[0022] The kicker 121 preferably includes one or more dynamic electromagnetic field (EMF) generators (e.g., electromagnetic field generators). For example, kicker 121 may include one or more superconducting radio frequency (SRF) kickers (see, for example, Akemoto, M., et al. "Construction and commissioning of the compact energy-recovery linac at KEK", Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment 877(2018):197-219, Leemann, CW, et al. "The continuous electron beam accelerator facility: CEBAF at the Jefferson Laboratory", Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 51.1(2001):413-450, and / or Citron, A., et al. "The Karlsruhe-CERN superconducting rf separator", Nuclear Instruments and Methods 164.1(1979):31-55, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). In some embodiments, the kicker 121 may be configured to operate as described in relation to method 400, which will be described later. However, the kicker 121 may also be able to operate in any other suitable additional or alternative manner.

[0023] In some embodiments, the splitter includes a single kicker. In other embodiments, the splitter includes multiple kickers (for example, all kickers except the last kicker are configured to deflect only a subset of electron bunches from the input electron beam, and the last kicker is configured to deflect the remaining electron bunches from the input electron beam, so that each kicker produces a subset of the multiple beams generated by the splitter). However, the splitter may additionally or alternatively include any appropriate number of kickers having any appropriate arrangement configuration and / or function.

[0024] The septum 122 preferably receives multiple electron beams (or any suitable subset thereof) from the kicker. Each septum preferably has the function of redirecting each received electron beam (e.g., redirecting each beam in a manner different from all the other beams). For example, the septum can define multiple magnetic environments (e.g., magnetic environments separated from each other by conductive walls), and each electron beam is received in one of those different magnetic environments.

[0025] The septum preferably has the function of guiding each electron beam along its respective path defined by the input transport unit associated with that electron beam (for example, so that each electron beam enters the desired radiation module). In some embodiments, the septum has the function of increasing the divergence of the received electron beams. However, the septum can additionally or alternatively reduce the divergence between beams, redirect the beams in directions other than those defined by their incident divergence (for example, redirecting some or all beams out of plane, e.g., upward or downward), and / or guiding some or all beams in any other suitable manner. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the septum may redirect only a subset of the electron beams (for example, one or more electron beams receive a magnetic field within the septum that is substantially zero, and / or a magnetic field that defines a substantially zero cross product with the electron beam trajectory).

[0026] For example, the septum may include a conventional current sheet, a zero-force septum, a Lambertson septum, and / or any other suitable element. However, the splitter may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable septum. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the splitter may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable element configured to deflect one or more electron beams (e.g., one or more of the electron beams received from the kicker), such as one or more deflection magnet elements (e.g., a bipolar magnet).

[0027] In alternative embodiments, the splitter may not include a septum. For example, the splitter may rely solely on the beam divergence introduced by the kicker 121 and therefore may not include any additional elements configured to increase this beam divergence and / or to otherwise redirect the electron beam.

[0028] In some embodiments, the splitter may include one or more deflectors 123. For example, in embodiments where the splitter receives multiple electron beams from an electronic input (for example, where the electron beams define a centerline that bisects the angle between the beams), the splitter may include one or more deflectors capable of redirecting one or more of those electron beams to trajectories collinear (or substantially collinear) with the centerline defined by the splitter, as shown, for example, in Figure 3C (in which case, for example, the centerline bisects the angle between the multiple electron beams received by the splitter). In some examples, while operating in normal mode, the splitter may receive two electron beams, each offset by an angle θ in opposite directions from the centerline. In this example, when operating in backup mode, only one of those two electron beams is received, and the splitter may include a deflector capable of redirecting that beam by an angle θ onto the centerline. For example, a deflector can operate between a normal mode (preferably a mode in which no or substantially no deflection occurs), a first backup mode (a mode in which the first beam is redirected onto the centerline), and a second backup mode (a mode in which the second beam is redirected onto the centerline). Similarly, a splitter may include two deflectors, each capable of operating between a normal mode (e.g., an inactive mode in which substantially no deflection occurs) and a backup mode (e.g., a mode in which one of the beams is redirected onto the centerline), and the available beams can be redirected onto the centerline by, for example, switching one of these two deflectors to the backup mode. In embodiments in which a coupled beam is received by a splitter, such deflectors are preferably omitted (but may be included as an alternative).

[0029] In some embodiments, the splitter may include one or more focusing elements (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole magnets, hexapole magnets and / or octapole magnets), including, for example, a focus-divergence (FODO) lattice (e.g., including quadrupole magnets, e.g., an array of quadrupole magnets 199a, 199b with alternating polarities). Since the polarities of the quadrupole magnets in the FODO lattice are usually arranged alternately, the planes in which they focus and diverge are also similar. That is, when arranged and oriented along a common lattice axis (e.g., when each quadrupole magnet is arranged such that the common lattice axis passes through the center of the opening of each quadrupole magnet), the quadrupole magnet 199a of the first polarity usually focuses in the first plane and diverges in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and the quadrupole magnet 199b of the second polarity opposite to the first polarity usually focuses in the second plane and diverges in the first plane. The FODO lattice preferably defines a regular (or substantially regular) array of elements (e.g., quadrupole magnets), for example, the FODO lattice defines the period length (e.g., the lattice spacing). The spacing between adjacent elements of the FODO lattice (e.g., adjacent quadrupole magnets, e.g., quadrupole magnets with opposite polarity to the nearest adjacent element) is preferably equal to (or substantially equal to) half the period length (for example, the spacing between quadrupole magnets with the same polarity is preferably equal to or substantially equal to the period length). In some such embodiments, one or more other elements of the splitter (e.g., kicker 121, septum 122, etc.) may be positioned between such focusing elements (e.g., positioned within the FODO lattice, e.g., each such element is positioned within a different cell of the FODO lattice).

[0030] However, the splitter 120 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration, and / or the kicker and / or septum may additionally or alternatively have any other suitable configuration and / or function.

[0031] 2.4 Input Transport Section Each input transport unit 130 preferably has the function of transporting an electron beam (or alternatively, multiple electron beams) from the splitter to its respective radiation module. The system preferably includes one output transport unit for each radiation module (or for each electron beam path). The input transport unit preferably defines a transport path for the electron beam received from the splitter, and the beam is guided along that path to a radiation module configured to receive the electron beam. In some examples, the input transport unit (or any suitable subset thereof) has the function of transporting an achromatic isochronous transport path (e.g., R 56 Achromatic transport (where the value is substantially equal to zero) can be defined, for example, in which case the input transport unit transports pre-compressed electron bunches (for example, each electron bunch is compressed upstream of the input transport unit, e.g., in the electronic input unit or before it). In another example, the input transport unit (or any suitable subset thereof) can define a non-isochronous transport path (e.g., R 56 A value that is substantially different from zero (e.g., achromatic transport) can be defined, in which case the input transport unit compresses the electron bunch length (e.g., to generate and / or enhance the peak current for FEL operation).

[0032] Each input transport unit preferably includes one or more deflection magnets (e.g., dipole magnets) which may have the function of guiding the electron beam to the associated radiation module (for example, in which case the deflection magnets of each input transport unit guide the electron beam into a substantially parallel trajectory to each other). Additionally or alternatively, each input transport unit may include one or more auxiliary elements (e.g., phase matching, phase space exchange, betatron matching, focusing optics, e.g., higher-order magnets). Furthermore, each input transport unit may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0033] 2.5 Radiation Module The light source system 100 preferably includes a plurality of radiation modules 140 (for example, including one or more radiation modules associated with each accelerator module 101 of the system, configured, for example, to receive electron bunches from the associated accelerator module when the system is operating in normal mode). Each radiation module is preferably associated with its respective input transport unit and output transport unit (for example, located between the input transport unit and the output transport unit). The radiation module preferably functions to receive one or more electron beams (for example from a splitter 120, preferably via an input transport unit 130 associated with the radiation module), to use each received electron beam to generate one or more optical outputs, and / or to transport the received electron beams downstream (for example to a recombiner 160, preferably via an output transport unit 150 associated with the radiation module) (for example, after being used to generate optical outputs).

[0034] Each radiation module preferably includes one or more undulator regions, each undulator region including one or more undulators. Each undulator region preferably has the function of receiving an electron beam and generating an optical output (e.g., by free-electron laser oscillation). In some embodiments, an undulator region can receive a plurality of spatially separated electron beams (e.g., substantially parallel beams, divergent beams, convergent beams, and / or skewed beams) and generate respective optical outputs from each received beam (or any suitable subset thereof). For example, an undulator region may include a wide undulator that accepts a plurality of spatially separated electron beams and / or a plurality of undulators that accept different electron beams (in which case, for example, each such undulator accepts a single electron beam).

[0035] Each radiation module may optionally include auxiliary elements, such as electron optics (e.g., beam steering magnets such as dipole magnets, beam focusing magnets such as higher-order magnets, etc.) and / or photon optics (e.g., EUV optics configured to focus and / or redirect the generated light output).

[0036] In some embodiments, each of one or more radiation modules (e.g., each radiation module in a system, or any suitable subset thereof) may include one or more splitters 141 (e.g., a splitter 141 having a configuration similar to the splitter 120 described herein, for example, including some or all of the elements of the splitter 120) and / or recombiners 142 (e.g., a recombiner 142 having a configuration similar to the recombiner 160 described herein, for example, including some or all of the elements of the recombiner 160). For example, a radiation module may include a splitter 141 configured to separate an incident electron beam (e.g., received from the splitter 120, for example, via the input transport unit 130) into multiple electron beams (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-10, 10-20, or more than 20 beams). The radiation module, including the splitter 141, preferably also includes a recombiner 142 configured to recombine multiple electron beams generated by the splitter 141 into a single output beam (for example, the single output beam is provided to the recombiner 160, for example, via an output transport unit 150).

[0037] The splitter 141 preferably includes one or more kickers, septums, focusing elements (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole, hexapole and / or octapole magnets) and / or other suitable elements. For example, the splitter may include a kicker configured to deflect electron bunches of the input beam into different trajectories, thereby separating the input beam into multiple beams, and subsequently include one or more septums and / or focusing elements configured to steer the separated beams (e.g., to increase lateral separation between beams or to collimate the beams). For example, the focusing elements may include a shared focusing element (e.g., a shared quadrupole magnet that applies a single quadrupole magnetic field to multiple beams, e.g., all beams, preferably such that the quadrupole magnetic field is symmetrically positioned with respect to the center of the beam array) and / or individual focusing elements (e.g., individual quadrupole magnets that apply a quadrupole magnetic field to only one beam, e.g., centered at a desired beam position), in which case the splitter 141 includes an individual focusing element for each beam (e.g., applying a separate quadrupole magnetic field centered at a desired beam position). In cases where the separated beams exiting the kicker are not spaced equally apart (e.g., the kicker separates the input beam into five or more beams), the splitter 141 may include one or more elements that can operate to make the spacing between the separated beams substantially equal. Such elements include, for example, one or more septums configured to increase the separation of the outer beam from the center (e.g., from the central axis defined by the input beam trajectory), one or more quadrupole elements configured to redirect the beam to a desired position (e.g., large-aperture individual beam quadrupole elements), nonlinear focusing elements configured to increase the separation of the outer beam from the center (e.g., focusing elements containing both quadrupole and octapole magnetic field components), and / or any other suitable elements. Additionally or alternatively, different drift lengths can be used for different beams after separation at the splitter 141 (e.g., while the beams are diverging, e.g., before collimation).In that case, for example, the first collimating element (or set of collimating elements) collimates only a subset of the beam (e.g., the inner beam), and one or more sets of second collimating elements collimates the remaining beam (in which case, for example, all the remaining beams have the same drift length, which is greater than the beam collimated by the first collimating element, or different beams of the remaining beams have different drift lengths, for example, the outermost beam having the longest drift length). However, the splitter 141 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0038] The recombiner 142 preferably includes one or more kickers, septums, focusing elements (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole, hexupole, and / or octapole magnets) and / or any other suitable elements. Within a particular radiation module, the recombiner 142 of that module preferably includes the same (or substantially the same) elements as the corresponding splitter 141 of that module, but arranged in substantially the opposite arrangement to that of the corresponding splitter 141 (e.g., mirror image arrangement). For example, if the splitter 141 of the radiation module includes a kicker configured to split the input beam into n separate beams, followed by a row of shared quadrupole elements, then a septum configured to increase the spacing between the outermost beams from the central axis, and finally an individual quadrupole element for each beam, then the corresponding recombiner 142 of the module preferably includes an individual quadrupole element for each beam, then a septum configured to decrease the spacing between the outermost beams from the central axis, then a row of shared quadrupole elements (the row being in the opposite arrangement to that of the splitter 141), and finally a kicker configured to recombine the n separate beams into a recombined beam.

[0039] However, the radiation module may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0040] 2.6 Output Transport Section Each output transport unit 150 preferably has the function of transporting the electron beam from the radiation module to the recombiner. The system preferably includes one output transport unit for each radiation module (or for each electron beam path). Typically, the system includes the same number of output transport units as input transport units (in which case, for example, each input transport unit is associated with a corresponding output transport unit, and they together are preferably associated with the same radiation module). Each output transport unit preferably includes the same or substantially the same components as the corresponding input transport unit 130 (for example, substantially the same arrangement as the elements of the corresponding input transport unit, but in the reverse order) and may have the function of transporting each electron beam to the recombiner 160 (for example, along a beam path that is a mirror image or substantially a mirror image of the beam path defined by the corresponding input transport unit).

[0041] The output transport section preferably includes one or more deflection elements (e.g., a bipolar magnet), as shown in Figure 4, for example, which have the function of diverting the electron beam from the path of the generated optical output (and / or guiding the electron beam to the recombiner).

[0042] In some examples, the output transport section may include one or more auxiliary elements. For example, the auxiliary elements may include phase matching, phase space exchange, betatron matching, electron focusing optics (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole and hexopole magnets), compressors, path length adjustment modules, and / or any other suitable elements (e.g., elements capable of changing the characteristics of the electron bunch).

[0043] However, each output transport unit may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components and / or have any suitable arrangement configuration thereof.

[0044] 2.7 Recombiner The recombiner 160 preferably has the function of recombining electron beams, more preferably the function of recombining them into the same number of beams as received at the electron input. Furthermore, the recombiner may have the function of providing these recombined beams to one or more accelerator modules (e.g., its energy recovery loop). The recombiner preferably includes one or more septums 161 and kickers 162, and optionally includes one or more deflectors 163.

[0045] The septum 161 preferably has the function of guiding each electron beam to focus (or substantially focus) at a single point (or near therein) within the kicker 162. The septum 161 may include any suitable elements as described above with respect to the septum 122, and is preferably substantially identical to the septum 122, but may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0046] In alternative embodiments, the recombiner may not include a septum. For example, the recombiner may not include additional elements configured to reduce the angle between beams (and / or otherwise redirect the electron beams) before recombination at the kicker 162, since it can receive multiple electron beams as a set of converged beams that define a sufficiently small angle between them, and the kicker 162 is capable of recombining only those converged electron beams.

[0047] Kicker 162 preferably has the function of recombining the received electron beam (for example, to the same number of beams as received by the electron input) and / or providing the electron beam to one or more accelerator modules. Kicker 162 may also include any suitable elements as described above with respect to kicker 121, and is preferably substantially identical to kicker 121, but may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0048] If provided, the deflector 163 preferably performs a similar function to that described above with respect to the deflector 123. For example, during normal operation, the kicker 162 may output two diverging beams bisected by a centerline (e.g., the same or a different centerline defined by the splitter), but during backup operation, the kicker 162 may output only a single beam (e.g., along or substantially along the centerline). In this example, in backup mode, the deflector may have the function of redirecting the single beam to the same path it takes during normal operation (e.g., redirecting the beam from the centerline to one of the two paths the diverging beam takes during normal operation).

[0049] In some embodiments, a recombiner may include the same or substantially the same components as a splitter (e.g., having substantially the same arrangement as the elements of a splitter, but in the reverse order), and may have the function of recombining electron beams and transporting the recombined beams to an electron output section (e.g., along a beam path that is a mirror image or substantially a mirror image of the beam path defined by the splitter). In one aspect of such embodiments, the splitter includes a plurality of kickers, each such kicker playing a role in generating one or more different sets of beams from a plurality of beams generated by the splitter. In this aspect, the order of the corresponding kickers in the recombiner is not reversed, and the beams are recombined in the same order in which the beams were generated (e.g., so that the system can give all such beams equal path lengths). Preferably, any suitable elements associated with such kickers (e.g., septums and / or focusing elements configured to interact with beams redirected by those kickers) are positioned in the same location as the kickers to which they are associated (e.g., maintaining a complementary and inverted positional relationship between the kickers and associated elements, as in a splitter).

[0050] In some examples, a recombiner may include one or more auxiliary elements. For example, auxiliary elements may include phase matching, phase space exchange, betatron matching, electron focusing optics (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole and hexopole magnets), compressors, path length adjustment modules, and / or any other suitable elements (e.g., elements that can be operated to change the characteristics of electron bunches).

[0051] However, the recombiner may include, additionally or alternatively, any other suitable components and / or have any suitable arrangement configuration thereof.

[0052] 2.8 Electronic Output Section The electronic output unit 170 preferably has the function of receiving electrons after they have been used in the system (e.g., high-energy electron bunches) (e.g., receiving electrons from a recombiner). The electronic output unit preferably receives electron bunches from a recombiner 160 (e.g., its kicker 162). The electronic output unit preferably provides the received electron bunches to the accelerator module 101 (or any suitable subset thereof), for example, its energy recovery loop. More preferably, the electronic output unit provides each received electron bunch to the same accelerator module from which it originated. The electronic output unit can receive the electron bunch as a single electron beam (for example, this single beam is later separated into separate beams, preferably one beam for each accelerator module, which is done, for example, by one or more kickers, e.g., the kickers of the electronic output unit), or it can receive the electron bunch as multiple electron beams (for example, each defining a different trajectory), e.g., as separate beams for each accelerator module (alternatively, in some embodiments including, for example, three or more accelerator modules, some or all of those separate beams may include electron bunches for multiple accelerator modules), and / or in any other suitable manner.

[0053] In some examples, the electronic output section may include one or more auxiliary elements. For example, the auxiliary elements may include elements such as phase matching, phase space exchange, betatron matching, electron focusing optics (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole and hexopole magnets), compressors, path length adjustment modules, and / or other arbitrary suitable elements (e.g., elements that can be operated to change the characteristics of the electron bunch). Furthermore, the electronic input section 110 may additionally or alternatively include other arbitrary suitable elements in any arbitrary arrangement configuration.

[0054] 2.9 Auxiliary elements The system may optionally include one or more auxiliary elements. These elements may include one or more phase matchers, phase space exchangers, betatron matchers, compressors, expanders, electro-optical elements such as focusing optics (e.g., higher-order magnets such as quadrupole magnets and hexapole magnets), path length adjustment modules, and / or any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration. Furthermore, the light source system 100 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0055] 2.10 Exemplary Embodiments In the first embodiment, the electronic input unit 110 is configured to provide an electron beam (e.g., a coupled electron beam from two or more accelerator modules) to a splitter (as shown, for example, in Figures 1A, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, and / or 2D). In some aspects of this embodiment (e.g., an embodiment in which the electron beam is provided from multiple accelerator modules), the electronic input unit may optionally include one or more kickers and / or other elements configured to receive electron beams from multiple accelerator modules and combine them into a single beam. In such embodiments, the electronic input unit preferably includes a shared betatron matching unit configured to perform betatron matching on the coupled electron beam. Alternatively, in embodiments of this embodiment in which only a single electron beam is received (e.g., from a single accelerator module), the electronic input unit may optionally have the function of directing the received electron beam to a kicker. The electron beam from the electronic input unit (e.g., a coupled electron beam) preferably enters the kicker 121 as a single beam. The recombiner preferably recombines all electron beams into a single beam (which are then separated into multiple beams, for example, in the kicker of the electron output section, to be supplied to multiple accelerator modules). Alternatively, the recombiner can couple the electron beam into more recombined beams (for example, a number equal to the number of accelerator modules that supply accelerating electron bunches to the electron input section).

[0056] In a second embodiment, the electronic input unit provides separate (e.g., non-collinear) electron beams to the splitter (e.g., separate electron beams from each of two or more accelerator modules) as shown, for example, in Figures 1B, 3A, and / or 3B. In this embodiment, the beams intersect (e.g., coincide at the same point or substantially coincide) preferably at a single point (or in its vicinity) within the kicker 121. Since the beams are not coupled, the electronic input unit (and / or any other suitable element of the system) preferably includes a separate betatron matching unit for each of those electron beams. These betatron matching units are preferably located upstream of the region in the vicinity of the kicker 121 (e.g., the last focusing magnet is located several or tens of meters upstream from the intersection), so that the beams are sufficiently separated and it is possible to arrange a separate electron optical system for each beam without shielding or interfering with the other beams. In this embodiment, the recombiner preferably combines the electron beam from the output transport unit with the same number of beams provided by the electron input unit (e.g., forming a separate electron beam for each accelerator module). However, the recombiner can alternatively combine all electron beams into a single output beam (e.g., this beam is separated downstream into multiple beams to guide each accelerator module) and / or into any other suitable number of beams.

[0057] In a first embodiment of the system, all radiating modules (e.g., including all electron beams throughout the entire process of being transported within the system) are coplanar (or substantially coplanar) and, for example, positioned at the same (or substantially the same) height. In a second embodiment of the system, not all radiating modules are coplanar (e.g., there is a vertical separation between some of the radiating modules). In some examples of this embodiment, different kickers of the splitter can deflect the electron beam along different planes. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples of this embodiment, the splitter can direct some or all of the electron beam out of the plane (e.g., upward and / or downward), in which case, for example, a kicker can cause in-plane divergence between the beams, and then a septum can direct some or all of the beam out of the plane. In some examples of this embodiment, all beam paths may be the same or substantially the same length, but alternatively, the beam paths may be of different lengths.

[0058] In some examples, the splitter may include multiple kickers (e.g., two kickers). In such a first example (e.g., an example of a first embodiment in which the splitter receives a single electron beam from the electronic input), the first kicker can (e.g., as illustrated in Figures 2C, 2D and / or Figures 2E-2H) split a portion of the incident electron beam into two additional beams, preferably without disturbing (or substantially disturbing) the rest of the incident electron beam, and the second kicker splits the rest of the incident electron beam (or any suitable subset thereof) into two further beams.

[0059] Each kicker preferably substantially redirects the electron bunch within its respective plane (for example, electrons entering the kicker perfectly aligned with the kicker's central axis are precisely or essentially deflected within their respective plane; on the other hand, if there is a deviation in the incident trajectory, there will also be a deviation in the deflection vector, and perhaps those deflection vectors will not be within their respective planes). For example, the deflection plane of each kicker may be the same (or substantially the same) as, or different from, the other kickers (for example, such planes may be orthogonal or substantially orthogonal, or such planes may define angles such as 5°, 10°, 15°, 18°, 22.5°, 24°, 30°, 36°, 40°, 45°, 60°, 72°, 0.5°-1°, 1-2°, 2-5°, 5-10°, 10-20°, 20-30°, 30-45°, 45-60°, 60-75°, 75-85°, substantially greater than 0° and / or substantially less than 90°, or such planes may be parallel or substantially parallel but not coplanar). In cases where the deflection planes of the two kickers are not coplanar and not parallel, the intersection of the two deflection planes preferably defines the electron beam propagation vector (for example, in which case the input electron beam and / or the recombined output beam propagate substantially along the propagation vector for part or all of the path through the splitter and / or recombiner, such as when incident on the first splitting kicker and / or when exiting from the last recombining kicker). Similarly, each of the two kickers can define one or more deflection vectors (for example, defining the direction in which the trajectory of the electron bunch deflected by the kicker may be deflected, such that the deflection results in a linear combination of the incident electron bunch trajectory and the deflection vector), which are preferably orthogonal (or substantially orthogonal) to the electron beam propagation vector (for example, along the electron beam propagation vector, the input electron beam and / or the recombined output beam propagate along part or all of the path through the splitter and / or recombiner, such as when incident to the first splitting kicker and / or when exiting from the last recombining kicker). However, these electron beams can additionally or alternatively propagate in any suitable direction.

[0060] In some embodiments, some or all of such deflection planes may differ (e.g., substantially differ) from one or more planes defined by the accelerator module, such as a broad plane containing (or substantially containing) most of the electron beam propagation paths within the accelerator module, a plane containing electron beam propagation paths within one or more arcs of the accelerator module, and / or any other suitable plane defined by the accelerator module (e.g., a broad plane). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, for example, in situations where the accelerator module is positioned on one or more planes substantially perpendicular to the gravity vector (e.g., substantially horizontal planes), some or all of such deflection planes may not be perpendicular (or substantially perpendicular) to the gravity vector (e.g., not horizontal to gravity). In some such embodiments, by making these deflection planes different from the plane defined by the accelerator module and / or gravity vector, it is possible to position the beam (e.g., an electron beam and / or an optical beam generated by free-electron laser oscillation from the electron beam) and / or related elements (e.g., undulators, electron beam control elements such as focusing elements, kickers, septums, and optical beam control elements such as mirrors) so as not to interfere with (e.g., not intersect) the accelerator module (e.g., its arc). However, the deflection planes may, additionally or alternatively, have any other suitable orientation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the use of such deflection planes different from the plane defined by the accelerator module and / or gravity vector may, additionally or alternatively, be applied to other examples and / or embodiments (e.g., splitters containing only a single kicker and splitters receiving multiple spatially separated electron beams).

[0061] In the first specific example of this first example, as shown, for example, in Figures 2C and 2D, all the kickers of the splitter (e.g., the first and second kickers) define substantially the same deflection plane (e.g., all the kickers of the splitter deflect the electron bunch in substantially a single plane). The deflection plane may be the same (or substantially the same) as the plane defined by the accelerator module (e.g., the plane defined by one or more of its arcs) and / or the plane defined by the gravity vector, or it may be parallel to such a plane, or it may be at an angle with respect to such a plane (e.g., a right angle such that the deflection plane is substantially perpendicular, or an oblique angle such as 5°, 10°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 0.1-1°, 1-5°, 5-15°, 15-45°, 45-85°, and / or less than 90°). In some embodiments of this first specific example, the splitter includes multiple septums (for example, one or more septums associated with each kicker, and each septum associated with a particular kicker preferably increases the separation between beams deflected by that kicker, and more preferably does not substantially alter the trajectory of electron bunches not deflected by that kicker).

[0062] In one such embodiment (for example, the embodiment shown in Figures 2C and 2D), in the splitter, a first separation kicker 121a deflects a portion of the input beam to generate first and second electron beams (drawn on both sides of the input beam) and is associated with a set of one or more first separation septums 122a, which function to increase the deflection of the first and second electron beams away from the central axis defined by the input beam (for example, without substantially deflecting the input beam). Furthermore, a second separation kicker 121b deflects the remainder of the input beam to generate third and fourth electron beams (drawn on both sides of the central axis between the first and second electron beams) and is associated with a set of second separation septums 122b, which function to increase the deflection of the third and fourth electron beams away from the central axis. The first set of separation septums can have any suitable arrangement configuration with respect to the second separation kicker (for example, each such septum may be positioned upstream, downstream, or at the same location along the central axis of the second separation kicker, between the first and second separation kickers, or between the second separation kicker and the set of second separation septums). After the beam has propagated through the input transport, radiation module and output transport, in the recombiner, one or more sets of second recombining septums 161b have the function of reducing the deflection between the third and fourth electron beams and the central axis, guiding the third and fourth electron beams to the (associated) second recombining kicker 162b, which functions to recombine the third and fourth electron beams into a single beam (for example, propagating substantially along the central axis).Furthermore, one or more sets of first recombining septums 161a (for example, each septum may be located upstream, downstream, or at the same position along the central axis of the second recombining kicker, between the first and second recombining kickers, or between the second decoupler and the set of second decouplers, preferably having a configuration in which the recombiner is reversed from that of the splitter) have the function of reducing the deflection between the first and second electron beams and the central axis, guiding the first and second electron beams to the (associated) first recombining kicker 162a, the first recombining kicker functions to recombine the first and second electron beams with the recombining beam output from the second recombining kicker.

[0063] In the second specific example of this first example, as shown in Figures 2E to 2H, for example, different kickers of the splitter (e.g., the first and second kickers) define substantially different deflection planes (e.g., parallel planes and / or intersecting planes). For example, the deflection plane defined by the first kicker may be orthogonal to the deflection plane defined by the second kicker, or the two planes may define an oblique angle between them (e.g., 5°, 10°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 0.1 to 1°, 1 to 5°, 5 to 15°, 15 to 45°, 45 to 85°, and / or less than 90°). In some embodiments, one of these planes may be the same as the plane defined by the accelerator module (e.g., the plane defined by its one or more arcs) and / or the plane defined by the gravity vector. Additionally or alternatively, one or both of these deflection planes may be parallel to and / or oriented at an angle to such plane (e.g., orthogonal or oblique angles, e.g., 5°, 10°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 0.1–1°, 1–5°, 5–15°, 15–45°, 45–85°, and / or less than 90°). For example, the intersection of two deflection planes may be located in or intersect (and / or substantially intersect) the plane defined by the accelerator module and / or gravity vectors, for example, the angle between the two deflection planes (e.g., acute, obtuse, right) may be bisected (or substantially bisected) by that plane. For example, two deflection planes may be orthogonal to each other and make an angle of 45° with the plane defined by the accelerator module and / or gravity vectors. In some embodiments of this second specific example, the splitter includes multiple septums (for example, one or more septums associated with each kicker, and each septum associated with a particular kicker preferably increases the separation between beams deflected by that kicker, and more preferably does not substantially alter the trajectory of electron bunches not deflected by that kicker).

[0064] In one such embodiment (for example, the embodiment shown in Figures 2E to 2H), in the splitter, a first separation kicker 121a deflects a portion of the input beam to generate first and second electron beams (drawn on either side of the input beam) and is associated with a first separation septum 122a, which functions to increase the deflection of the first and second electron beams away from the central axis defined by the input beam (without substantially deflecting the input beam). An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 2E, which shows the projection of the splitter onto a first splitter deflection plane defined by the first separation kicker. Furthermore, a second splitter kicker 121b deflects the remainder of the input beam to generate third and fourth electron beams (which are not coplanar with the first and second electron beams, but propagate along a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane on which the first and second electron beams propagate, for example), and is associated with a second splitter septum 122b, which functions to increase the deflection of the third and fourth electron beams away from the central axis. An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 2F, which shows the projection of the splitter onto a second splitter deflection plane defined by the second splitter kicker (e.g., perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first splitter deflection plane). Furthermore, the first isolation septum can have any suitable positional configuration with respect to the second isolation kicker (for example, it may be positioned upstream, downstream, or at the same position along the central axis of the second isolation kicker, between the first and second isolation kickers, or between the second isolation kicker and the set of second isolation septums).After the beam has propagated through the input transport section, the radiation module and the output transport section, in the recombiner, a set of first recombining septums 161a functions to reduce the deflection between the first and second electron beams and the central axis, guiding the first and second electron beams to a first recombining kicker 162a (associated therewith), which functions to recombine the first and second electron beams into a single beam (e.g., propagating substantially along the central axis), an example of this configuration is shown in Figure 2G, which shows the projection of the recombiner onto a first recombiner deflection plane defined by the first recombining kicker (e.g., a plane coplanar, parallel to, or at an angle to, the first splitter deflection plane and / or the second splitter deflection plane). Furthermore, a second set of recombining septums 161b (for example, each of which is positioned upstream, downstream, or in the same position along the central axis of the second recombining kicker, between the first and second recombining kickers, or between the second separation kicker and the set of first separation septums, preferably, each set of septums and associated kickers having an arrangement configuration opposite to that of similar groups of elements in the splitter, although the groups of elements are preferably arranged in the same order as the splitter) functions to reduce the deflection between the third and fourth electron beams and the central axis, and the third and fourth electron beams The electron beam is directed toward a second recombiner kicker 162b (associated therewith), which functions to recombine the third and fourth electron beams with the recombined beam output from the second recombiner kicker, an example of which is shown in Figure 2H, which shows the projection of the recombiner onto a second recombiner deflection plane defined by the second recombiner kicker (e.g., a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first recombiner deflection plane, a plane coplanar, parallel to, or at an angle to the first splitter deflection plane and / or the second splitter deflection plane).

[0065] In some examples of this embodiment (for example, when the deflection planes defined by the first and second split kickers are substantially orthogonal), the splitter and recombiner preferably each include a FODO lattice, for example, the elements described above are positioned between the two quadrupole magnets of the FODO lattice (for example, the elements described above are positioned at a distance substantially equal to half the period length of the FODO lattice). For example, in the splitter, a first quadrupole magnet can be positioned after the first split kicker, diverging in the deflection plane of the first split kicker ("first deflection plane") (for example, converging in the deflection plane of the second split kicker ("second deflection plane")), and the second split kicker can be positioned between the first quadrupole magnet and a second quadrupole magnet converging in the first deflection plane (for example, diverging in the second deflection plane), and the first set of split septums 122a are positioned between the second quadrupole magnet and (for example, A second set of split septums 122b can be placed between the first quadrupole magnet and the third quadrupole magnet (having the same polarity as the first quadrupole magnet), another split septum 122a of the first set can be placed between the fourth quadrupole magnet and the fifth quadrupole magnet (having the same polarity as the first quadrupole magnet), and / or another split septum 122b of the second set can be placed after the fifth quadrupole magnet. In this example, the elements of the recombiner can optionally be placed within the FODO lattice in a similar manner.For example, in a recombiner, a sixth quadrupole magnet (e.g., having the same polarity as the second quadrupole magnet) can be placed after the first set of recombining septums 161a, a second set of recombining septums 161b can be placed between the sixth quadrupole magnet and a seventh quadrupole magnet (e.g., having the same polarity as the first quadrupole magnet), and another recombining septum 161a of the first set can be placed between the seventh quadrupole magnet and an eighth quadrupole magnet (e.g., having the same polarity as the second quadrupole magnet). A second set of recombining septums 161b can be placed between the quadrupole magnets, and another recombining septum 161b can be placed between the eighth quadrupole magnet and the ninth quadrupole magnet (for example, having the same polarity as the first quadrupole magnet), and the first recombining kicker 162a can be placed between the ninth quadrupole magnet and the tenth quadrupole magnet (for example, having the same polarity as the second quadrupole magnet), and / or the second recombining kicker 162b can be placed downstream of the tenth quadrupole magnet.

[0066] In this third specific example of the first example, the splitter includes three or more kickers, some of which define substantially the same deflection plane, while others define substantially different deflection planes.

[0067] However, the system may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements in any suitable arrangement configuration.

[0068] 3. Method 3.1 Normal Mode Operation S410 in normal mode preferably has the function of generating optical output according to the full capability of the system (for example, all light beams are available at maximum intensity simultaneously and all accelerator modules are used to generate optical output) and / or is performed at any other appropriate desired operating level. S410 is preferably performed while all accelerator modules are operating (and / or under other circumstances in which the system enables the execution of S410).

[0069] In normal mode, the electronic input unit preferably receives electron bunches from multiple accelerator modules (in some embodiments, the electronic input unit can couple these bunches into a single combined electron beam). In this mode, the system (e.g., splitter 120) preferably directs the received electron bunches into multiple paths (e.g., one for each radiation module). In particular, the system preferably directs the received electron bunches such that each of the multiple paths (e.g., each of the multiple radiation modules) receives electron bunches from only one accelerator module. For example, in S410, the splitter can receive electron bunches from two accelerator modules and direct those electron bunches into four different paths (e.g., each directed to a different radiation module). In this example, two of the paths receive electron bunches from only the first accelerator module, and the other two paths receive electron bunches from only the second accelerator module.

[0070] Similarly, in normal mode, the recombiner preferably recombines the separated electron beam into a smaller number of beams, more preferably into the same number of beams received from the electronic input by the splitter, and provides those beams to the electronic output (in some embodiments, for example, in embodiments where the electronic output receives a combined electron beam containing electron bunches from multiple accelerator modules, the electronic output may also separate the beam into a larger number of beams, for example, a separate beam for each accelerator module). The recombiner and electronic output preferably have the function of performing the beam operations in reverse (or substantially in reverse) those performed by the splitter and electronic input in normal mode, but additionally or alternatively, they may have any other suitable functions.

[0071] However, operation S410 in normal mode may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements that are performed in any suitable manner.

[0072] 3.2 Backup Mode Operation in backup mode, S420 preferably has the function of maintaining the generation of optical output (preferably all optical beams, or alternatively only a subset thereof) even without using the electron beams of all accelerator modules. S420 is preferably executed when one or more accelerator modules are unavailable (e.g., when they are in a failure state, have poor electron beam characteristics, or are undergoing maintenance). However, S420 may be executed additionally or alternatively at any other appropriate time.

[0073] In backup mode, the electronic input unit can receive electron bunches from only one accelerator module. Additionally or alternatively, in embodiments including three or more accelerator modules, the electronic input unit may receive electron bunches from several (but not all) of those accelerator modules (e.g., all but one accelerator module). In this mode, the system (e.g., splitter 120) preferably directs the received electron bunches to the same multiple paths as in normal mode, preferably directing each of the multiple paths to receive electron bunches from only one accelerator module (however, for certain paths, electron bunches may be received from accelerator modules different from those in normal mode, for example, because the accelerator module used in normal mode is available). For example, in S420, the splitter can receive electron bunches from a single accelerator module (for example, at twice the rate at which electron bunches are received from a single accelerator module in S410, so that the overall rate at which electron bunches are received does not change or is substantially the same between S410 and S420), and then direct those electron bunches to four different paths (for example, each directed to a different emission module).

[0074] Similarly, in backup mode, the recombiner preferably recombines the separated electron beam into a smaller number of beams, more preferably into the same number of beams received by the splitter from the electronic input, and provides those beams to the electronic output. Typically, in backup mode, the recombiner provides the electronic output with only a single electron beam containing only electron bunches from a single accelerator module, and the electronic output does not split this single electron beam into multiple beams. However, in some alternative embodiments, for example, in embodiments where the electronic output receives a combined electron beam containing electron bunches from multiple accelerator modules, the electronic output may separate the beam into a larger number of beams (for example, as in operation in normal mode), for example, a separate beam for each accelerator module. The recombiner and electronic output preferably have the ability to reverse (or substantially reverse) the beam operations performed by the splitter and electronic input in backup mode, but additionally or alternatively, they may have any other suitable functions.

[0075] In some examples, operation in backup mode may include activating (and / or changing the operating mode of) one or more deflectors (e.g., splitters and / or recombiners), thereby (e.g., as detailed with respect to splitters and / or recombiners) deflecting the electron beam onto the centerline.

[0076] In some embodiments, the method may include operation in multiple modes of backup mode. For example, a first mode of backup mode may be configured to respond to a failure of the first accelerator module (for example, while the second accelerator module continues to operate under normal conditions), while a second mode of backup mode may be configured to respond to a failure of the second accelerator module (for example, similar to the first mode) (for example, while the first accelerator module continues to operate under normal conditions).

[0077] However, additionally or alternatively, operation S420 in backup mode can include any other suitable elements performed in any appropriate manner.

[0078] 3.3 Kicker Aliasing In some embodiments, for one or more kickers of the system, the "effective" frequency or aliased kicker frequency sampled by the electron bunch may differ from the true kicker frequency (e.g., the actual frequency at which the electromagnetic field within the kicker changes). An electron bunch passing through each kicker is the mechanism by which the electron beam samples the electromagnetic field within the kicker. Accordingly, for an electron beam frequency f e for a train of substantially equally spaced electron bunches, the maximum kicker frequency that can be accurately sampled by these electron bunches is the Nyquist limit f e / 2, and aliasing occurs for kicker frequencies exceeding this limit. In particular, for a kicker operating at a kicker frequency f k for a kicker, the effective frequency f sampled by an electron beam having a frequency f e sampled by an electron beam having frequency f p is given by the following relationship: TIFF2026529589000002.tif11170 where NINT is the function that gives the nearest integer (half-integer values are rounded up, for example, 10.5 is rounded up to 11, while 10.4 is rounded down to 10). For a kicker frequency that exceeds the Nyquist limit of the electron beam, the effective frequency obtained for that electron beam is below the Nyquist limit (i.e., f p ≦f e / 2).

[0079] In some such embodiments, it may be beneficial to operate one or more kickers at frequencies exceeding the Nyquist limit corresponding to the electron bunch passing through the kicker. For example, generally, lower kicker frequencies require larger kicker cavities, which can complicate the kicker configuration and / or increase its cost. It may then be advantageous to use a smaller kicker cavity instead (thus reducing the configuration complexity and / or cost increase) to generate higher kicker frequencies that are aliased to the desired lower frequencies. For example, the sampling frequency f e and the desired effective frequency f p Given a kicker frequency f, k Let m and n be integers, then mf e +nf p You can choose from a set of values ​​(however, mf e +nf p All of the values ​​are the desired effective frequency f p It does not necessarily give f p (Note that it may also be aliased to other frequencies, such as harmonics.)

[0080] In the first example, (for example, when deflecting electron bunches from a single beam in two different directions, or when recombining electron bunches arriving from two different directions into a single beam) the desired effective frequency is equal to half of the incident electron beam (f p =f e / 2), the kicker has a kicker frequency f k =f e It can be configured to generate (1+n / 2), where n is a non-negative integer (for example, if n=1, f k =3f e / 2, when n=2, f k =2f e(and so on). In the second example, (for example, when deflecting an electron bunch from a single beam in four different directions, or when recombining electron bunches arriving from four different directions into a single beam) the desired effective frequency is equal to one-quarter of the incident electron beam (f p =f e / 4), the kicker has a kicker frequency f k =f e It can be configured to generate (3 / 4 + n / 2), where n is a non-negative integer (for example, if n=1, f k =3f e / 4, when n=2, f k =5f e (This would be / 4). In the third example, (for example, when deflecting an electron bunch from a single beam in five different directions, or when recombining electron bunches arriving from five different directions into a single beam) the desired effective frequency is equal to one-fifth of the incident electron beam (f p =f e ( / 5), the kicker has a kicker frequency f k =f e It can be configured to generate (4 / 5+n+m), where n is a non-negative integer and m is zero or 2 / 5 (for example, if n=0 and m=2 / 5, then f k =6f e When / 5, n=1, m=0, f k =9f e When f = 5, n = 1, and m = 2 / 5, k =11f e (It would be something like / 5).

[0081] 3.4 Exemplary Embodiments Herein, several exemplary embodiments of Method 400 are described. These embodiments illustrate the implementation of Method 400 using a redundant light source system in which electron bunches from two accelerator modules (for example, each operating at or substantially operating at accelerator frequency f0) are branched into four different paths. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that these embodiments (and / or any suitable elements thereof) described herein are equally applicable to systems including any other suitable number of accelerator modules, electron beam paths and / or emission modules.

[0082] In the first embodiment, a single electron beam (e.g., a coupled electron beam) is input to the electron input. In this embodiment, as shown, for example, in Figures 5A and / or 5C, while operating in normal mode S410, the input beam preferably consists of alternating electron bunches from two accelerator modules, each accelerator module supplying every other electron bunch (for example, each accelerator module defines a pulse repetition frequency equal to f0 / 2, and the pulses between the two accelerator modules are completely or substantially completely out of phase with each other, resulting in substantially constant time between each electron bunch in the coupled beam). However, the electron bunches from each accelerator module can, alternatively, have any other suitable timing (for example, a configuration is possible in which the first accelerator module supplies several pulses consecutively, e.g., two pulses, followed by the second accelerator module supplying several pulses consecutively, e.g., two pulses, in between, with the first accelerator module not supplying any pulses, preferably such that the coupled pulse train generated by the two accelerator modules has equal spacing between pulses, even if the pulses from each individual accelerator module are not equally spaced). In some examples of this embodiment, each kicker of the splitter preferably operates at a frequency such that four electron bunches are incident on the kicker during each kicker period (for example, the kicker frequency is equal to or substantially equal to f0 / 4).

[0083] In the first example of this embodiment (as illustrated, for example, in Figures 2A and / or 2B), a single kicker separates the incident electron beam into four beams. In some specific examples, the phase offset between the kicker period and the incidence of the electron bunches is equal to (or substantially equal to) 18.435° of the kicker waveform (where the arrival of the first of the four electron bunches lags by 18.435° after the maximum value of the kicker period). This results in substantially equal spacing between the four separated electron beams.

[0084] In a second example of this embodiment (for example, as illustrated in Figures 2C, 2D, and / or Figures 2E-2H), the first kicker separates a portion of the incident electron beam into two additional beams, preferably leaving the remainder of the incident electron beam undisturbed (or substantially undisturbed), and the second kicker separates the remainder of the incident electron beam (or any suitable subset thereof) into two more beams. In this example, the first kicker is preferably timed to generate maximum magnetic field strength for every other electron bunch (while alternating electron bunches receive zero or substantially zero magnetic field strength within the first kicker). Furthermore, in this example (ignoring the timing offset required for electron propagation from the first kicker to the second kicker with respect to the kicker frequency), the second kicker is timed to be out of phase with the first kicker by π / 2 radians. As a result, an electron bunch that receives zero magnetic field strength in the first kicker receives maximum (or substantially maximum) magnetic field strength in the second kicker, and vice versa. For example, in S410 (as shown in Figure 5C, for example), two accelerator modules alternately supply electron bunches, with the first kicker deflecting only electron bunches from the first accelerator module and the second kicker deflecting only electron bunches from the second accelerator module. In this embodiment, the splitter may include two or more kickers, each of which performs a similar role to the kickers described above (for example, all kickers except the last kicker in the splitter deflect only a subset of electron bunches passing through them, while the last kicker in the splitter preferably deflects the remaining electron bunches, and / or each kicker in the recombiner redirects the incoming incident electron beam into a common trajectory, and all such sets of kickers work together to recombine the multiple beams into a single beam propagating along that common trajectory).

[0085] However, the splitter kicker can, additionally or alternatively, operate at any other suitable timing. In S410, the recombiner preferably operates in a similar manner to the splitter (e.g., with similar kicker timing) to recombine the four separated electron beams into a single combined beam (e.g., the combined beam is guided substantially along a centerline that bisects the four separated electron beams incident on the recombiner, or substantially collinear with the combined electron beam received by the splitter). This combined electron beam is then separated into two electron beams (e.g., at the electron output section), each of which preferably contains only electron bunches originating from a single accelerator module, and preferably supplied to that accelerator module from the electron output section. In the first example described above, the recombiner preferably includes a single kicker with timing similar to that described for the splitter kicker (e.g., the phase offset between the kicker period and the electron bunch incidence is equal to (or substantially equal to) 18.435° of the kicker waveform). In the second example described above, the recombiner preferably includes two kickers with timing similar to that described for the splitter kicker (e.g., they are π / 2 radian out of phase with each other, and their peaks and zeros coincide with the arrival timing of the electron bunches). This allows S410 to maintain equal path lengths for all electron bunches originating from either accelerator module (all bunches redirected by the first kicker traverse the same path length as each other; all bunches redirected by the second kicker traverse the same path length as each other, although this path length may differ from that of the bunches redirected by the first kicker). In some specific examples of the second example, it is preferable that the spatial distance between these two kickers is equal to (or substantially equal to) the distance between the kickers of the splitter.More preferably, in some such specific examples, an electron beam separated by a first kicker of a splitter is subsequently recombined by a first kicker of a recombiner, and / or an electron beam separated by a second kicker of a splitter is subsequently recombined by a second kicker of a recombiner. The second kicker of the splitter is located downstream of the first kicker of the splitter, and the second kicker of the recombiner is located downstream of the first kicker of the recombiner (as shown, for example, in Figures 2E to 2H).

[0086] In this first embodiment, as shown for example in Figures 5B and / or 5D, while operating in backup mode S420, the electron beam received by the electronic input typically includes only electron bunches from one accelerator module (for example, because the other accelerator module is unavailable). In this embodiment, S420 preferably includes receiving electron bunches from the remaining operational accelerator modules at twice the rate received in S410 (for example, the operational accelerator module doubles its pulse repetition frequency to equal f0). This ensures that all electron bunches originate from a single accelerator module, but the timing of the electron bunches received by the electronic input is maintained to be the same as, or substantially the same as, the timing in S410. In this embodiment, all other modes of operating the splitter are preferably maintained unchanged (or substantially unchanged). In S420, the recombiner preferably operates in a similar manner to the splitter (e.g., with similar kicker timing) and preferably has the function of recombining four separated electron beams into a single combined beam (for example, the combined beam is guided substantially along a centerline that bisects the four separated electron beams incident on the recombiner, or substantially colinear with the combined electron beam received by the splitter). The combined beam is preferably supplied from the electron output unit to the operating accelerator module.

[0087] In the second embodiment, two separate electron beams (e.g., focused electron beams) are received at the electron input, and these two beams define a separation angle α between them. In this embodiment, when operating in normal mode S410, each of the two incident electron beams preferably defines a 2-on, 2-off pattern of electron bunches (e.g., each beam defines a pulse repetition frequency of f0 / 2 and is gated at f0 / 4). Preferably, the timing of the two electron beams is offset by half the gating frequency, and when the bunches of the two beams are combined, their timings are equally spaced (or substantially equally spaced), as shown in Figure 6, for example (e.g., the first bunch of the first beam, followed by the second bunch of the first beam, followed by the third bunch of the second beam, followed by the fourth bunch of the second beam, and so on, repeating the same pattern, with the time interval between each bunch all being 1 / f0). In this embodiment, in S410, the splitter kicker preferably operates at a frequency such that four electron bunches (two from each beam) are incident on the kicker during a single period (e.g., the kicker frequency is equal to or substantially equal to f0 / 4). In this embodiment, there is no (or substantially no) phase offset between the kicker period (e.g., the maximum value of the kicker magnetic field) and the incident time of the first electron bunch of the kicker period. Thus, one bunch of each electron beam is deflected by the maximum amount (e.g., deflected further away from the centerline between the two incident beams), while the other bunches from that beam are substantially undefended. The maximum deflection here is preferably equal to (or substantially equal to) the separation angle α between the incident beams. In S410, the recombiner preferably operates in a similar manner to the splitter (e.g., with similar kicker timing) to recombine each pair of electron beams into two electron beams (e.g., divergent electron beams, preferably defining a separation angle α between them). Each of these two electron beams preferably contains only electron bunches originating from a single accelerator module.

[0088] In this second embodiment, when operating in backup mode S420, the operation of the system (e.g., its electronic input section, splitter, recombiner, electronic output section, and / or functional accelerator modules) is preferably the same as described above with respect to the operation in backup mode of the first embodiment. That is, if one accelerator module is unavailable, the remaining accelerator module preferably supplies twice the number of electron bunches (e.g., to compensate for the missing bunches from the unavailable accelerator module) (e.g., operating at a pulse repetition frequency of f0), and preferably, as described above with respect to the first embodiment (e.g., as shown in Figure 5B), a phase offset is introduced (e.g., equal to or substantially equal to 18.435° of the kicker waveform) (e.g., matching the offset described above with respect to the first embodiment). Furthermore, in this embodiment, S420 preferably includes deflecting the remaining electron beam (for example, by activating a splitter deflector, e.g., a bipolar magnet and / or any other suitable deflector), and more preferably directing the electron beam to the kicker along a path similar to the path described above with respect to the first embodiment, for example, along a centerline (e.g., a centerline that bisects the two incident electron beam paths defined while operating in normal mode) (this is shown, for example, in Figure 3C). In S420, a recombiner preferably operates in a similar manner to the splitter (e.g., with similar kicker timing) and has the function of recombining the four separated electron beams into a single combined beam. Furthermore, the recombiner deflector is preferably used to redirect the combined beam (e.g., from the centerline trajectory) to the trajectory seen during operation in normal mode (e.g., a trajectory having an angle of α / 2 from the centerline). The combined beam is preferably supplied from the electron output unit to the operating accelerator module.

[0089] However, method 400 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements and / or be carried out in any other suitable manner.

[0090] 4. Specific Examples The following are numbered examples of the technologies described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that these examples do not limit the scope of the technology.

[0091] [Specific Example 1] A light source system, • The first kicker, • Receives an input electron beam containing multiple electron bunches, A first kicker configured to deflect the electron bunch of the electron beam substantially within a first plane, thereby spatially separating the input electron beam into a first plurality of electron beams, • The second kicker, · Receiving multiple electron beams as described above, A second kicker configured to deflect the electron bunches of the first plurality of electron beams substantially in a second plane, thereby spatially separating the first plurality of electron beams into a second plurality of electron beams, • The first septum, · Receiving a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams, A first septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, • The second septum, · Receiving a second subset of the aforementioned second set of electron beams, A second septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the second subset substantially within the second plane. A system characterized by comprising the following features.

[0092] [Specific Example 2] In the system described in Specific Example 1, The present invention further comprises an array of quadrupole magnets substantially arranged along the array axis and forming a focus-divergence (FODO) lattice, wherein the FODO lattice defines the period length, the array axis is defined along the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, and the array is A first magnet positioned between the first kicker and the second kicker, configured to focus the first plurality of electron beams substantially within the first plane, A second magnet positioned between the second kicker and the first septum, wherein the second magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the first magnet along the array axis and is configured to focus the second plurality of electron beams substantially in the second plane, A system comprising: a third magnet positioned between the first septum and the second septum, wherein the third magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the second magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the first magnet along the array axis, and is configured to focus the second subset of electron beams substantially in the first plane.

[0093] [Specific Example 3] In the system described in Specific Example 2, The third magnet is further configured to focus the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, and the system further, • The third septum, · Receiving a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the third magnet, A third septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, • It is the fourth septum, · Receiving a second subset of the aforementioned second set of electron beams, The system comprises a fourth septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the second subset substantially within the second plane, A system characterized in that the third septum is positioned between the second septum and the fourth septum.

[0094] [Specific Example 4] In the system described in Specific Example 3, The present invention further comprises a fourth magnet positioned between the second septum and the third septum, The fourth magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the third magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the second magnet along the array axis, The fourth magnet is configured to focus the second plurality of electron beams substantially within the second plane, The system is characterized in that the third septum is configured to receive a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the third magnet via the fourth magnet.

[0095] [Specific Example 5] In the system described in Specific Example 4, The present invention further comprises a fifth magnet positioned between the third septum and the fourth septum, The fifth magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the fourth magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the third magnet along the array axis, The fifth magnet is configured to focus a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams substantially within the first plane. The system is characterized in that the fourth septum is configured to receive a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the fifth magnet.

[0096] [Specific Example 6] In the system described in any of the preceding examples, A system characterized in that the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane.

[0097] [Specific Example 7] In the system described in any one of the examples 1 to 5, A system characterized in that the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane.

[0098] [Specific Example 8] In the system described in any one of the examples 1 to 5, A system characterized in that the first plane lies substantially coplanar with the second plane.

[0099] [Specific Example 9] In the system described in any one of the examples 1 to 6, A system characterized in that the second plurality of electron beams includes the first, second, third, and fourth electron beams.

[0100] [Specific Example 10] In the system described in Specific Example 9, The first subset includes the first and second electron beams, A system characterized in that the second subset includes the third and fourth electron beams.

[0101] [Specific Example 11] In the system described in specific example 9 or 10, A first radiation module including a first undulator, the first radiation module configured to receive the first electron beam and generate a first optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the first undulator, A second radiation module including a second undulator, the second radiation module configured to receive the second electron beam and generate a second optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the second undulator, A third radiation module including a third undulator, the third radiation module configured to receive the third electron beam and generate a third optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the third undulator, A system further comprising a fourth radiating module including a fourth undulator, the fourth radiating module configured to receive the fourth electron beam and generate a fourth optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the fourth undulator.

[0102] [Specific Example 12] In the system described in Specific Example 11, • The third kicker, · Receiving the first electron beam and the second electron beam, A third kicker is configured to deflect at least one beam substantially in a third plane to recombine the first and second electron beams as a first recombination beam, wherein the at least one beam is selected from the group consisting of the first electron beam and the second electron beam. • He is the fourth kicker, · Receiving the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam, A system further comprising a fourth kicker configured to deflect at least two beams substantially in a fourth plane to recombine the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam as a second recombination beam, wherein the at least two beams are selected from the group consisting of the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam.

[0103] [Specific Example 13] In the system described in Specific Example 12, A system characterized in that the first plane is parallel to the third plane.

[0104] [Specific Example 14] In the system described in specific example 12 or 13, The system further comprises an accelerator module having an energy recovery loop (ERL), and the accelerator module is • A first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches is supplied to the first kicker. The system is characterized in that the ERL is configured such that a first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches passes through the fourth kicker and then receives the first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches.

[0105] [Specific Example 15] In the system described in Specific Example 14, The system further comprises a second accelerator module having a second ERL, and the second accelerator module is • A second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches is supplied to the first kicker. The system is characterized in that the second ERL is configured such that a second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches passes through the fourth kicker before receiving the second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches.

[0106] [Specific Example 16] In the system described in any of the preceding examples, The first radiation module, A fifth kicker configured to receive the first electron beam and split the first electron beam into a third plurality of spatially separated electron beams, A plurality of undulators including the first undulator, each of which is configured to receive the respective electron beam and generate the respective optical output by free electron laser oscillation for each of the third plurality of electron beams, The system further comprises a sixth kicker configured to receive the third plurality of electron beams and to recombine the third plurality of electron beams as a third recombination beam.

[0107] [Specific Example 17] In the system described in any of the preceding examples, A system further comprising a plurality of radiation modules, each of which includes its own undulator, and configured such that, for each of the second plurality of electron beams, each of the plurality of radiation modules receives its own electron beam and generates its own optical output by free electron laser oscillation in its own undulator.

[0108] [Specific Example 18] In the system described in Specific Example 17, In each of the plurality of radiation modules, each radiation module is Each splitting kicker is configured to receive each electron beam and split it into multiple spatially separated electron beams, Each of the multiple electron beams is configured to receive its respective electron beam and generate its respective optical output through free electron laser oscillation, A system characterized by comprising a recombination kicker configured to receive multiple spatially separated electron beams and recombine them as its respective recombination electron beam.

[0109] [Specific Example 19] In the system described in any of the preceding examples, The first kicker deflects a first subset of the electronic bunch in a first direction, deflects a second subset of the electronic bunch in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and does not substantially deflect a third subset of the electronic bunch. A first subset of the electron bunch defines a first redirected beam, A second subset of the electron bunch defines a second redirected beam, • A third subset of the electron bunch defines the remaining beam. The second kicker deflects a fourth subset of the electron bunch of the remaining beam in a third direction, and a fifth subset of the electron bunch of the remaining beam in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. • A fourth subset of the electron bunch defines a third redirected beam, A system characterized in that a fifth subset of the electron bunch defines a fourth redirected beam.

[0110] [Specific Example 20] In the system described in Specific Example 19, The first subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. The second subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. The third subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 50% of the plurality of electron bunches. The fourth subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. A system characterized in that a fifth subset of the electronic bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electronic bunches.

[0111] [Specific Example 21] A light source system, • The first kicker, • Receive a set of electron bunches defining the first and second input beams, A first kicker configured to deflect the set of electron bunches such that the set of electron bunches is separated into a first portion that propagates in a first direction, a second portion that propagates in a second direction different from the first direction, and a third portion that propagates in a third direction different from the first and second directions, • The second kicker, · Receiving the third part which includes the first subpart and the second subpart, • By deflecting at least one of the first sub-part or the second sub-part, The first sub-part is propagated in the fourth direction, A second kicker configured to propagate the second sub-part in a fifth direction different from the fourth direction, A first accelerator module configured to supply the first input beam to the first kicker, A system comprising: a second accelerator module configured to supply the second input beam to the first kicker.

[0112] [Specific Example 22] The system described in Specific Example 21, A system characterized in that the first and second input beams are substantially on the same line.

[0113] [Specific Example 23] The system described in specific example 21 or 22, A first radiating module configured to receive the first portion and generate a first optical output by free-electron laser oscillation, A second radiating module configured to receive the second portion and generate a second optical output by free-electron laser oscillation, A third radiating module is configured to receive the first sub-part and generate a third optical output by free-electron laser oscillation, The system further comprises a fourth radiating module configured to receive the second sub-part and generate a fourth optical output by free-electron laser oscillation.

[0114] [Specific Example 24] The system described in Specific Example 23, • The third kicker, ·Receive the first portion from the first radiation module, · Receiving the second portion from the second radiation module, A third kicker configured to recombine the first and second portions as a first recombination beam, • He is the fourth kicker, · Receiving the first sub-part from the third radiation module, · Receiving the second sub-part from the fourth radiation module, The system further comprises a fourth kicker configured to recombine the first and second sub-parts as a second recombination beam that lies collinear with the first recombination beam.

[0115] [Specific Example 25] A system described in any of the specific examples 21-24, The first input beam includes a first subset of electron bunches, The second input beam includes a second subset of electron bunches, The system further comprises a fifth kicker, and the fifth kicker, • Receiving the first and second recombined beams, • By biasing at least one of the first subset or the second subset, The first subset defines the first output beam, The second subset is configured to define a second output beam spatially separated from the first output beam, The first accelerator module includes a first energy recovery linac (ERL) configured to receive the first output beam, The system is characterized in that the second accelerator module includes a second ERL configured to receive the second output beam.

[0116] [Specific Example 26] The system described in Specific Example 25, A system characterized in that the third portion is essentially composed of a second subset of the electronic bunch.

[0117] [Specific Example 27] A system described in any of the specific examples 23-26, The first radiation module, A third kicker configured to receive the first portion and split the first portion into a plurality of spatially separated electron beams, A plurality of undulators, each of which is configured to receive each electron beam of the spatially separated plurality of electron beams and generate its respective optical output by free electron laser oscillation, A system comprising a fourth kicker configured to receive the spatially separated plurality of electron beams and to recombine the spatially separated plurality of electron beams as a recombination beam.

[0118] [Specific Example 28] A system described in any of the specific examples 21-27, The first kicker is configured to deflect the electronic bunch of the set substantially within a first plane, The system is characterized in that the second kicker is configured to deflect at least one of the first sub-part or the second sub-part substantially within the first plane.

[0119] [Specific Example 29] A system described in any of the specific examples 21-27, The first kicker is configured to deflect the electronic bunch of the set substantially within a first plane, The system is characterized in that the second kicker is configured to substantially deflect at least one of the first sub-part or the second sub-part in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

[0120] [Specific Example 30] A system described in any of the specific examples 21-29, A system characterized in that the first kicker is configured to deflect the first and second portions and substantially not deflect the third portion.

[0121] [Specific Example 31] A method for operating a light source, • In a separate kicker, • Input electron beam frequency f e The steps include receiving an input electron beam containing multiple electron bunches that define, • Separation kicker frequency f s A step of applying a first substantially periodic electromagnetic field that defines fs >f0 / 2, wherein the input electron beam samples a first aliased kicker frequency f p , wherein f p ≦f0 / 2, thereby spatially separating the input electron beam into a plurality of electron beams; after spatially separating said input electron beam into said plurality of electron beams, using a first electron beam of the plurality of electron beams to generate a first optical output by free electron laser oscillation; using a second electron beam of the plurality of electron beams to generate a second optical output by free electron laser oscillation; after generating said first and second optical outputs, in a recombination kicker, receiving said plurality of electron bunches; applying a second substantially periodic electromagnetic field defining a recombination kicker frequency f r , wherein f r >f0 / 2, and a second aliased kicker frequency defined by said recombination kicker frequency and said input electron beam frequency is equal to said first aliased kicker frequency f p , thereby recombining said plurality of electron bunches into an output electron beam. A method comprising:

[0122] [Specific Example 32] The method according to Specific Example 31, wherein the step of generating said first optical output comprises in a second separation kicker, receiving a first electron beam of said plurality of electron beams, said first electron beam defining a first electron beam frequency f' e <f0, applying a third substantially periodic electromagnetic field defining a second separation kicker frequency f' s , wherein f' s >f' eThe first electron beam is at a third aliased kicker frequency f' p Sample f' p ≦f' e The step is that the first electron beam is divided by 2, thereby spatially separating the first electron beam into a plurality of second electron beams, the plurality of second electron beams including a third electron beam, ·In the first undulator, The step of receiving the third electron beam, A method characterized by comprising the step of generating the first optical output by free electron laser oscillation of the third electron beam.

[0123] [Specific Example 33] The method described in Specific Example 32, After generating the first optical output, in the second recombination kicker, The step of receiving the second set of electron beams, • Second recombination kicker frequency f' r A step of applying a fourth substantially periodic electromagnetic field that defines f' r >f' e / 2, and as a result, the fourth aliased kicker frequency defined by the second recombination kicker frequency and the first electron beam frequency is equal to the third aliased kicker frequency f' p This becomes equal to the step of recombining the second plurality of electron beams into the first recombined electron beam, The recombination kicker is characterized in that it receives the plurality of electron bunches after the second recombination kicker has recombined the plurality of second electron beams as the first recombined electron beam.

[0124] [Specific Example 34] The method described in Specific Example 33, A method characterized in that the second recombination kicker frequency is equal to the second separation kicker frequency.

[0125] [Specific Example 35] The method described in specific example 33 or 34, The second plurality of electron beams includes five spatially separated electron beams, f' p =f' e A method characterized by being / 5.

[0126] [Specific Example 36] A method according to any of the specific examples 33 to 35, f' s =f e -kf' p A method characterized in that k is a positive integer.

[0127] [Specific Example 37] A method according to any of the specific examples 32 to 36, In the first undulator described above, The step of receiving a fourth electron beam from among the second plurality of electron beams substantially simultaneously with receiving the third electron beam, A method further comprising the steps of generating a first optical output by free-electron laser oscillation of a third electron beam substantially simultaneously with generating a third optical output by free-electron laser oscillation of a fourth electron beam.

[0128] [Specific Example 38] A method according to any of the specific examples 31 to 37, A method characterized in that the recombination kicker frequency is equal to the separation kicker frequency.

[0129] [Specific Example 39] A method described in any of the specific examples 31 to 38, The plurality of electron beams comprises four spatially separated electron beams, f p A method characterized by the fact that = f0 / 4.

[0130] [Specific Example 40] A method according to any of the specific examples 31 to 39, fs =f0-f p A method characterized by the following:

[0131] [Specific Example 41] A method according to any of the specific examples 31 to 40, The method is characterized in that it is performed using a light source system described in any of Specific Examples 1 to 30.

[0132] [Specific Example 42] A method for operating a light source system, characterized by including the step of operating a light source system described in any of Specific Examples 1 to 30.

[0133] [Specific Example 43] A system described in any of the examples 1 to 30, The system is characterized by being configured to perform the method described in any of the specific examples 31 to 40.

Claims

1. A light source system, - The first kicker, - Receives an input electron beam containing multiple electron bunches, - A first kicker configured to deflect the electron bunch of the electron beam substantially within a first plane, thereby spatially separating the input electron beam into a first plurality of electron beams, - The second kicker, - Receiving the first plurality of electron beams, A second kicker configured to deflect the electron bunches of the first plurality of electron beams substantially in a second plane, thereby spatially separating the first plurality of electron beams into a second plurality of electron beams, - The first septum, - Receiving a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams, A first septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, - The second septum, - Receiving a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams, - A second septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the second subset substantially within the second plane A light source system characterized by comprising the following features.

2. In the system described in claim 1, The present invention further comprises an array of quadrupole magnets substantially arranged along the array axis and forming a focus-divergence (FODO) lattice, wherein the FODO lattice defines a period length, the array axis is defined along the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, and the array is - A first magnet positioned between the first kicker and the second kicker, configured to focus the first plurality of electron beams substantially within the first plane, - A second magnet positioned between the second kicker and the first septum, wherein the second magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the first magnet along the array axis and is configured to focus the second plurality of electron beams substantially in the second plane, A system characterized by comprising: a third magnet positioned between the first septum and the second septum, wherein the third magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the second magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the first magnet along the array axis, and is configured to focus the second subset of electron beams substantially in the first plane.

3. In the system described in claim 2, The third magnet is further configured to focus the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, and the system further, • The third septum, - Receiving a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the third magnet, A third septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the first subset substantially within the first plane, - The fourth septum, - Receiving a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams, - A fourth septum configured to deflect the electron beam of the second subset substantially within the second plane, A system characterized in that the third septum is positioned between the second septum and the fourth septum.

4. In the system described in claim 3, The present invention further comprises a fourth magnet positioned between the second septum and the third septum, - The fourth magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the third magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the second magnet along the array axis, The fourth magnet is configured to focus the second plurality of electron beams substantially within the second plane, A system characterized in that the third septum is configured to receive a first subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the third magnet via the fourth magnet.

5. In the system described in claim 4, The present invention further comprises a fifth magnet positioned between the third septum and the fourth septum, - The fifth magnet is positioned substantially half a period length from the fourth magnet along the array axis and substantially one period length from the third magnet along the array axis, The fifth magnet is configured to focus a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams substantially within the first plane, A system characterized in that the fourth septum is configured to receive a second subset of the second plurality of electron beams from the fifth magnet.

6. In the system described in claim 5, A system characterized in that the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane.

7. In the system described in claim 2, A system characterized in that the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane.

8. In the system described in claim 1, A system characterized in that the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane.

9. In the system described in claim 8, The second plurality of electron beams includes the first, second, third, and fourth electron beams, - The first subset includes the first and second electron beams, A system characterized in that the second subset includes the third and fourth electron beams.

10. In the system described in claim 1, The second plurality of electron beams includes the first, second, third, and fourth electron beams, - The first subset includes the first and second electron beams, A system characterized in that the second subset includes the third and fourth electron beams.

11. In the system according to claim 10, - A first radiation module including a first undulator, the first radiation module configured to receive the first electron beam and generate a first optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the first undulator, - A second radiation module including a second undulator, the second radiation module configured to receive the second electron beam and generate a second optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the second undulator, A third radiation module including a third undulator, the third radiation module configured to receive the third electron beam and generate a third optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the third undulator, A system further comprising a fourth radiating module including a fourth undulator, the fourth radiating module configured to receive the fourth electron beam and generate a fourth optical output by free electron laser oscillation in the fourth undulator.

12. In the system according to claim 11, - The third kicker, - Receiving the first electron beam and the second electron beam, A third kicker is configured to deflect at least one beam substantially in a third plane to recombine the first and second electron beams as a first recombination beam, wherein the at least one beam is selected from the group consisting of the first electron beam and the second electron beam. - The fourth kicker, - Receiving the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam, A system further comprising a fourth kicker configured to deflect at least two beams substantially in a fourth plane to recombine the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam as a second recombination beam, wherein the at least two beams are selected from the group consisting of the third electron beam, the fourth electron beam, and the first recombination beam.

13. In the system according to claim 12, A system characterized in that the first plane is parallel to the third plane.

14. In the system according to claim 12, The system further comprises an accelerator module having an energy recovery loop (ERL), and the accelerator module is - A first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches is supplied to the first kicker, - A system characterized in that the ERL is configured such that a first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches passes through the fourth kicker before receiving the first subset of the plurality of electronic bunches.

15. In the system described in claim 14, The system further comprises a second accelerator module having a second ERL, and the second accelerator module is - A second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches is supplied to the first kicker. - A system characterized in that the second ERL is configured to receive the second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches after the second subset of the plurality of electronic bunches has passed through the fourth kicker.

16. In the system according to claim 12, The first radiation module, A fifth kicker configured to receive the first electron beam and split the first electron beam into a third plurality of spatially separated electron beams, - A plurality of undulators including the first undulator, each of which is configured to receive each of the third plurality of electron beams and generate its respective optical output by free electron laser oscillation, A system further comprising: a sixth kicker configured to receive the third plurality of electron beams and to recombine the third plurality of electron beams as a third recombination beam.

17. In the system described in claim 1, A system further comprising a plurality of radiation modules, each of which includes its own undulator, and configured such that, for each of the second plurality of electron beams, each of the plurality of radiation modules receives its own electron beam and generates its own optical output by free electron laser oscillation in its own undulator.

18. In the system described in claim 17, In each of the plurality of radiation modules, each radiation module is Each splitting kicker is configured to receive each electron beam and split it into multiple spatially separated electron beams, Each of the multiple electron beams is configured to receive its respective electron beam and generate its respective optical output through free electron laser oscillation, A system characterized by comprising a recombination kicker configured to receive multiple spatially separated electron beams and recombine them as their respective recombination electron beams.

19. In the system described in claim 1, - The first kicker deflects a first subset of the electronic bunch in a first direction, deflects a second subset of the electronic bunch in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and does not substantially deflect a third subset of the electronic bunch. - A first subset of the electron bunch defines a first redirected beam, - A second subset of the electron bunch defines a second redirected beam, - A third subset of the electron bunch defines the remaining beam, The second kicker deflects a fourth subset of the electron bunch of the remaining beam in a third direction, and a fifth subset of the electron bunch of the remaining beam in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. - A fourth subset of the electron bunch defines a third redirected beam, A system characterized in that a fifth subset of the electron bunch defines a fourth redirected beam.

20. In the system described in claim 19, - The first subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. - The second subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. - The third subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 50% of the plurality of electron bunches. - The fourth subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches. A system characterized in that a fifth subset of the electron bunch consists of approximately 25% of the plurality of electron bunches.

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